


Going Home

by sonneta



Category: Fringe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-15
Updated: 2010-10-15
Packaged: 2017-10-12 16:58:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/127050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonneta/pseuds/sonneta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Olivia gets back to our universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Going Home

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Spoilers for season 3, episode 1!
> 
> Written for meredith44 for a challenge on the LiveJournal community scifiland.

"So, Charlie, what's the assignment?" Olivia asked.

"I'll tell you in the cab," Charlie said.

"Cab?" Olivia asked. Usually she or Charlie would drive. It was highly irregular to take a cab.

But then she was getting in the cab, and the driver seemed... vaguely familiar, somehow. _I saw him when I had my breakdown_ , she realized.

"Okay, let's go," Charlie said, handing over his Show-Me. "Olivia. I need you to listen carefully. You're not from this world."

"Charlie! Have you gone crazy?" Olivia asked.

"No, he's right, Olivia," said the cab driver - Henry. "You told me yourself. I didn't believe you at first, but you were telling the truth."

"No, that can't be right. Is this some sort of test?" Olivia asked.

Charlie closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "No, Olivia, I promise. This is real. You're not from here, and you need to go home, before... well, you just need to go home."

"You're not kidding, are you?" Olivia asked. "Those visions I had of Peter - I really do know him. Those dreams I had of a different life - my sister still alive, a niece - those were true."

"Yeah. Those were true," Charlie agreed.

"This is really confusing," Olivia admitted. "I've got two sets of memories, and the ones you're talking about seem more like a dream. But I... believe you."

They sat in silence for a while. Charlie slid a hand towards Olivia, palm up, and she took it in hers.

Olivia cleared her throat. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"The Department has a secret warehouse out near Reiden Lake. There are things stored out there that might help you get back across," Charlie said. "And no one will notice if two Fringe agents ask to go inside it - at least, not at first."

"Reiden Lake - of course," Olivia said.  


* * *

  
When they got to Reiden Lake, Charlie exited first, running ahead to tell the guard whatever story he was going to use to get them in. Olivia was still in the cab.

"Henry," she said. "Thank you. I hope you don't get into any trouble because of this."

Henry shrugged. "Hey, if all else fails, I'm willing to place the blame on the two of you," he joked.

"Seriously, Henry. Thank you." Olivia smiled, and got out of the cab as Charlie waved her in.  


* * *

  
After some searching, Charlie finally called her over.

"What is it?" Olivia asked. "No, wait, I know this. It looks like the device David Robert Jones used on my side, when he was trying to cross over here."

"He used one on this side, too," Charlie said. "Let's see if we can't set this thing up."

"Hey, Jake, we're gonna do some tests over here," Charlie said to the guard as they excited the warehouse.

They took the device out near the lake. "Okay. I don't suppose you know how to work one of these?" Charlie asked.

Olivia grimaced. "I don't think I ever knew in the first place."

"Looks like we need a source of power," Charlie mumbled. "I'll go get Henry to bring the cab over here."

"But you might need that--" Olivia started to say, but Charlie had already gone. "--later."

Charlie rode in the front as Henry brought the cab up near the device. Olivia watched Jake-the-guard warily, but so far, he seemed mostly disinterested in them. She wondered how often Fringe agents came out here to test things.

Charlie caught her look, and sidled up next to her. "Don't worry. I stole his cell battery and there's no land line out here."  


* * *

  
Olivia prowled restlessly as Charlie and Henry tried to rig the device to work, connecting wires and the cab's engine. The guard seemed to have finally noticed his cell phone wasn't working, and Olivia knew they were running out of time.

"Guys, stop," she said. "I think maybe - part of me must know how to get back across. Without a device."

"Are you sure?" Charlie asked.

Olivia nodded. She walked away from Charlie and Henry, her feet crunching dead leaves as she went. _Now, how does this go?_ Olivia thought. _Help me, someone..._

Then, she remembered a dream she'd had several nights before: an old man who looked like the Secretary, but was very much not him. This man telling her things: Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Imagine when you were children, and anything was possible...

She imagined Peter, and she felt such love rushing through her, she thought she might burst. Then she felt something shifting, and she didn't dare open her eyes again until she very nearly tripped over her own feet.

When Olivia opened her eyes, she realized she was not where she had begun. She turned around, and there was no Charlie, no Henry. No cab. No warehouse.

 _Could it be?_ She thought, and then she smiled. She was home.

Now to figure out if it was possible to call this world on a phone from the other side. Only she didn't have to, because suddenly, a familiar beat-up station wagon pulled up, and the driver jumped out and ran for her.

"Olivia!" Peter called. "Olivia!"

"Peter..." she called, only time was running strangely again, and he was right there in front of her, wrapping his arms around her. They held each other, and she was certain - she was where she belonged.


End file.
